Chess

BY PHILIDOR No. 90. C. F. WAY (2nd Prize, B.C.M. 1955) BLACK (7 men) WHITE (11 men) WHITE to play and mate in two moves: solUtion next week.

Solution to last week's problem by Hermanson: Kt-Q 3, threat Q-B 5. 1 . R (B 7)x P; 2 Kt x Kt.

1 ...R (K 5) x P; 2 Q Kt-K 5, are thematic variations.

In the original position 1 . R (B 7) x P; is met by

2 Q-B 1 and 1 . . . R (K 5) x P; by 2 Q-B 4; there is also a 'thematic try' 1 Kt x Kt P with two main defences met by 2 Kt (Kt 3)--Q 2 and 2 Kt-K 5 respectively—defeated by 1 . . . Kt-R 51 only. Thus we have actual, set and virtual play—typical of elaborate ideas in modern two-movers.

Yet another Sicilian. I suppose I should apologise for inflicting so many examples of the same opening on readers, but it is an unfailing source of good and exciting chess, because it always leads to a tense struggle and simplifying lines are almost non-existent. This is a particularly good game, because Black finds the best defence when in a lost position, thus compelling White to find a series of fine moves to win; in a really good game the loser usually takes nearly half the credit for its creation.

White, L. ALSTER Black, G. STAHLBP.R0 Opening, Sicilian.

Steinitz Memorial Tournament, Prague, 1956.

1 P-K 4 P-Q B4 2 Kt-K B 3 Kt-Q B 3 3 P-Q 4 P x P 4 Kt x PKt 5 Kt-Q B 3 . P-Q-B 33 6 B-K 3 B-Q 2 7 B-K 2 P-Q R 3

8 0-0 P-K 3

9 P-B 4 B-K 2 10 Q-K 1 0-0 II Q-Kt 3 Q-B 2

12 Q R-Q 1 (a) K-R I?

13 Kt-B 3 Kt-Q

14 R-Q 2 P-Q 4Kt 5 15 P-K 5 Kt-K 5 (b)

16 Kt x Ki P x Kt 17 Kt-Kt 5 B x Kt 18 P x Kt-Q 4 19 B-Q 4 B P-Kt 4? (c) 20 Q-R 4 B-B 3

ta) So far a typical 'Scheveningen'—a line less seen now than formerly, since White so often plays B-K Kt 5 in the opening: the text is the natural move, but It might be better to play 12 Kt-B 3 at once to avoid the freeing manoeuvre 12 . . . Kt x Kt; 13 H x Kt, B-B 3; with which Black could and should have met the move played. (b) This leaves Black a weak K pawn, but after Kt-Kt I his game is too cramped to be held and if 15 ... B-B 4; 16 Kt-K Kt 51 with advantage. (c) Probably overlooking White's reply, threatening P-Kt 6 as

well as Q x K P. 19 . Kt-K 2 was best. (d) White threatened 25 B-Kt 6!

(e) 25...RP x P; 26 B x Pend wins. (f) Best. 26 . . . P x P; 27 R x Kt, P x R; 28 Q x B B x P; 29 11 x B, P x B; 30 B-K 71 and wins. Or 26 Kt x P; 27 P x P ch, Kt x P; 28 B. x B, R x B; 29 Q x P with pawn up and better position.

(g) 27 . . . P x B?; 28 R-B 8 ch, K x P; 29 R X Kt is quite hopeless for Black. After text it looks as if he will escape, but his king is too exposed to withstand White's major pieces.

(h) There is no move: if Black keeps queen near the king, he :oses it and if he goes away he gets mated—finally, if 33 . . Kt-B 3; then 34 Q-Q Kt 41 is decisive.

(I) This finishes matters: extra pawns make ending very easy for White.

(j) After R-B 3; 42 P-R 5 Black has no chance.

21 B-B 5 22 B-R 5 23 B-Q 6 24 K-R 1 25 P-Kt 61 26 P x P e.p. 27 P x P 28 B x P 29B x P 30 B x B 31 R-Q 3 32 R x R ch 33 R-K Kt 3 34 P-K R3 35 Q-R 8 ch 36 R-K B 3 (1) 37 K-R 2 38 P x Q 39 K-Kt 3 40 P-K R4 41 Q-K 5

KR-QI 0.B-K1 R ch K-Kt 2 1 (d) P-B 4 (e) RP X P(/) R X B (g) Q X P B-Kt 3 Q X B R-K B 1 QK Kt-K 2 (h) -B 2 R Kt-Kt 1 R-Q 8 ch

Q x R R-Q 7 ch R x P R-B 8 Resigns (1)